Yet as Jose Mourinho pointed out, the smile not far away, it is Chelsea who have the chance to make ­themselves the Christmas number one when they travel to the Emirates next Monday.

So, when, having suggested his side need to discover the “killer” instinct, Mourinho was asked if Chelsea need to be more like City, the response was surprising.

“No,” said Mourinho.”Manchester City are one point behind us. So they need to be more like us.

“They are scoring goals, yes. But they have one point less. So they need to be more like us.”

(Image: Getty Images)

Up to a point, Lord Copper. The truth is that Chelsea are making a virtue of winning ugly. And the second half on Saturday was ­decidedly ugly.

When it mattered though, as Damien Delaney missed three great chances to level for a second time, as John Terry made a stunning goalline clearance to foil outstanding ­replacement Stuart O’Keefe and Petr Cech made the saves he had to make, Mourinho’s side dug out the points.

For Cech, what is important is the belief that there is more, far more, to come.

The keeper said: “We are in the position we wanted to be going into Arsenal. It is a brilliant opportunity for us. After that game we can be ahead so this is a good position now for us. And we know we haven’t reached our peak.”

Cech added: “Sometimes you work to improve things and they take a little more time than you would like but if the boss is happy with the progression of the team then ­everything is going in the direction he expected.

“We know we still have room for improvement. That’s encouraging. We have grown used to those over the past 10 years. We know what to expect.”

Actually, nobody really knows what to expect with Chelsea this season.

Ahead when Fernando Torres latched onto a rebound, they were stunned as Marouane Chamakh made it three in three games, only for Ramires to rifle them in front again.

The Blues boss said: “What happens is that we don’t kill ­opponents and when you don’t kill opponents playing well, when in the game you have bad moments, you are in trouble.

“You put yourself into trouble and you panic a little bit. When you lose possession of the ball or when they get a free-kick or when they get a corner or when they put a long ball in the box, you shake. And because you shake, you make mistakes.”

Mistakes that could have been costly. Mourinho, who engaged in a bit of touchy-feely hand-holding with Pulis in the first half, knew he had been baled out by Terry.

“We have a couple of guys who do this well,”added Mourinho. “Ashley is a specialist on the goal-line too.

“The important thing with John is that he’s really playing very, very well, using the ball very well, always giving what I call a ‘round’ ball to the midfield players, one that’s easy to control.

“He’s doing that very well. He’s leading the team much more, his self-esteem is coming again. His sense of leadership is coming again. I’m very happy with the evolution he had from the beginning of the season.”

Chelsea’s evolution seems less clear-cut, two horrendous late misses by Ramires further proof that the clinical instincts of Mourinho’s first Blues side are still absent.

Next Monday night, facing a ­managerial rival who has never previously defeated him, will doubtless tell us far more.